Isinbayeva, Bekele confirm Golden League series start

Isinbayeva, Bekele confirm Golden League series startMonte Carlo  - Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva and Ethiopian distance running ace Kenenisa Bekele will compete at the Golden League athletics series for a 1-million dollar jackpot.

The ruling body IAAF said on Thursday that Isinbayeva and Bekele have committed themselves to the elite series of six meets between June 14 and September 4.

Isinbayeva, the world and Olympic champion and world record holder

in women's pole vault, shared the jackpot in 2007 with American runner Sanya Richards.

The 2008 Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres champion Bekele, who also owns the world records over both distances, shared a jackpot in 2006 when winners in five meets of the six meets were also awarded.

Under current Golden League rules, the full jackpot goes to athletes who win at all six stops. If no athlete has six wins a halved jackpot of 500,000 dollars goes to five-time winners.

The IAAF said it is also in talks with other stars for the full series in Berlin (June 14), Oslo (July 3), Rome (July 10), Paris (July 17), Zurich (August 28) and Brussels
(September 4).

The jackpot disciplines are the men's 100m, 400m, 3000m/5000m, 110m hurdles, javelin, and the women's 100m, 400m, 100m hurdles, high jump and pole vault.(dpa)